Unless you play music in the dark, consider your stage style

Kid Rock was a stringy-haired hick and his music was hokey at best, until he seduced me with a fur coat, no shirt and a black beanie. What kind of fashion concoction was that?

The kind that instantly brought me to my knees, begging him to marry me from the back row, that's what. I became his lifelong fan. One with so much ardor that that I later tackled a relative-in-law who stole my Kid Rock CD during a White Elephant gift exchange.

All of this, her hip bruise and all, ultimately stemmed from how Mr. Rock presented his music visually at a concert I'd begrudgingly attended.

Don't underestimate the power of a solid, trademark style, musicians. Before you opt for the too-predictable emo bangs swoosh for your next promo pic, consider this: Your fashion and stage presence can be key in whether you push on to the next level.

That was the message a recent panel at Mojo's Music Academy in Longmont. The event, "The Look of Your Band," hosted by Gig More, Stress Less, featured tips on good logos, web design, band photos and a live makeover for one local musician.

Need some help? Here are some tips from the D.O.C.'s stylist, Dina Schmitt:

Accentuate your strong features. If you have strong arms or a nice neckline, pick styles that show that off.

Don't underdress. It's easy to focus on the music and forget about the presentation, but it's all part of your expression.

Make a statement that matches your musical tone, whatever that is for you, but definitely make a statement. This does not necessarily mean a meat-dress.

Pick a quirk. Maybe everyone in the band wears green sneakers. It might be more subtle. But what about your style is uniquely you and immediately recognizable?

Be irreplaceable. Don't just pick out the trendiest outfit at the mall. Local stores, like the D.O.C., have unique pieces so you won't show up to your own show wearing the same outfit as half the fans.

The right accessories can make a big difference. For example, one woman singer in an out-of-state band wears all black but a trademark red feather bracelet, Schmitt says. That feather is her mark, and people remember her for it.

Want more info?

Join the public Facebook group for Gig More, Stress Less for more info on your band's image and future workshops. Coming up: How to get your body and instrument in working order, and how to pack the house.

Before, she says her style was whimsical, a little silly and, well, not so grown-up. Hello Kitty was a staple. So were clothes and shoes from the kids' section at Target. Until one day, a 5-year-old pointed at her pink boots and exclaimed, "Hey, mom, look, she's wearing my boots!"

Busted.

"Without knowing it, I may have been getting stuck in a rut," Glassman says. "I may have been turning to a bit of a cartoon, a parody of myself."

For the panel at Mojo's, stylists from the Longmont-based Department of Clothing (or the D.O.C.) put her in a pinup-style dress. Most of the clothes and accessories at this store on Main Street are unique (including shirts custom-printed with one-of-a-kind prison art). Instantly, Glassman says she felt more confident.

"I have a new set of colors in my Crayon box. I can be that person, too," she says. "Now there's this other shining possibility, and it's so energizing."

But the problem for most Colorado bands isn't pink children's boots. It's not even J-Bieb hair, or Hansen hair, or early Michael Bolton hair (see a trend)?

It's that you don't seem to even care. You roll up for a show in a wrinkled T-shirt and shorts, thinking your music speaks for itself and no one should care about what kind of shoes you wear. You wear Tevas, period, forgetting that our eye-level is your feet when you're on stage. You blend in with the crowd. You don't realize how dramatically your appearance can enhance your music, be another connection point to the audience and make you stand out in the digital world of 9 trillion new bands per day.

Imagine Bjork doing her creepy Icelandic yodeling in a T-shirt and jeans instead of slippers, a hat made out of gigantic cotton balls and a swan head dress.

Imagine The Ramones in nicely pressed slacks and Lady Gaga without (fill in the blank). Did you know Katy Perry used to be blonde and grungy, and then one day she discovered latex and suddenly her voice sounded That Much Better?

This stuff is important to booking agents and venues, according to the panel.

"If you look like you just got out of bed and you don't care -- unless that's your look and you do it really well -- then you give the audience a message that you don't really value them," Glassman says. "Take two equally talented musicians singing equally talented songs. The guy who's well put-together will have a more impactful show. It's like restaurants: Presentation is a part of how the food tastes."

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